The 45-year-old actress will be given The Legion d'Honneur medal award by French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysees Palace in Paris within the next two months.

Salma - who is married to French businessman Francois-henri Pinault, with whom she has four-year-old daughter Valentina - will join the five-tiered academy with the Grade of Chevalier, or 'knight' in English.

Following the pinning of the medal, she will be invited to attend a banquet at which all of those gifted with the honour will go to.

She will not be the only person in her family to receive the award this year - her father-in-law Francois Pinault has been promoted to the rank of Grand Officer.